North Carolina Mason
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Page 10 The North Carolina Mason May/June 2018 travelinG the tar heel state neWs From our lodGes EDENTON – The Brothers from Unanimity #7 made a recent road trip to Virginia to see an old "friend." They hit the road to see an historic chair that once was in the East at the lodge. It was revealed in 1983 to be a museum-quality piece. The chair, crafted by Benjamin Bucktrout, was a gift from a George Russell, according to minutes dated July 6, 1778. The chair most likely came from a lodge in Alexandria, Va., that had disbanded and distributed its furniture to avoid capture by the British. Legend has it that George Washington sat in it, and the chair is described in the Journal of Early Southern Decorative Arts as "the most elab- orate American Freemason's chair known." But because the cost of insuring the chair was so high, the lodge sold it to Colonial Williamsburg. As part of the offer, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation built an exact replica of the chair, which is still dis- played at Unanimity. In March, several members of Unanimity travelled to Colonial Williamsburg to see the original chair, now stored at the DeWitt Wallace Collections and Conservation Building. The brothers also attended a stated meeting at Williamsburg #6, where some brothers dress in colonial attire. Pictured: WM Bill Potts poses with the Bucktrout chair. FAYETTEVILLE – The brethren at Phoenix #8 plant pinwheels during their monthly fellowship breakfast. The pinwheels were planted to bring aware- ness to Child Abuse Prevention during the month of April. The pinwheels are sponsored through the Child Advocacy Center, which provides abused children a safe place to be interviewed and re- ceive therapy. WILMINGTON – Orient #395 turned things around and did a good deed for some good-deed-doers in March. Brethren sponsored a pancake breakfast that raised $513 to help send members of Boy Scout Troop #730 to camp. Members and officers of the lodge did the cooking and the scouts helped serve the meal. Did George sit here?